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When I get to my local shop, I'll try to take some actual screenshots to post. However, I think the Dish GUI is superior to the DirecTV from what I've been finding. That said, a GUI is not a deal breaker - just an important consideration.

When I get to my local shop, I'll try to take some actual screenshots to post. However, I think the Dish GUI is superior to the DirecTV from what I've been finding. That said, a GUI is not a deal breaker - just an important consideration.

I would be happy with a lighter background and darker foreground for the DTV programming guide; ideally let the customer choose their own colors. Also, increase the time span to 2.5 hours; just like their web version. Also, one would have the capability to turn off the channel advertising in the guide. Finally, the ability to see the program description without having to hit "More info" when viewing clicking on a program in the guide.

As for logs, they look nice, but take up room that could be better used to increase the time period one is viewing in the guide.

Agree! The screen looks way too "busy" but I would like an extra hour.

I can take or leave the extra hour. Fios is 2.5 hours. It gets a but busy but fios also likes to be stylish so it is hard to tell if the busy feel comes from the style or the extra data. Probably the style.

I can take or leave the extra hour. Fios is 2.5 hours. It gets a but busy but fios also likes to be stylish so it is hard to tell if the busy feel comes from the style or the extra data. Probably the style.

I'd like three hours. Although 2.5 would likely do the trick. My goal is to be able to see all primetime on my locals on one screen.

speaking of the direct tv guide.
is there a way to get rid of that picture of the highlighted show in the upper right corner of the guide? or even that direct tv logo in the upper right as well??
sometimes i get some image retention of those two logos if it stays on the guide for too long.

Always hated the Hughes GUI. I had a Sony receiver I liked a lot more.

And I had the RCA receiver and liked it better than either the Hughes or the Sony. I agree that 2.5 hours would be nice, but more important to me is elimination of the clutter and high contrast. I like the white on black and no logos.

It's a matter of a quick look since most providers don't put channels in logical or alphabetical order. Plus it just looks better. Dish manages to get the letters AND logo in the side bar. I find much easier to eyeball a logo scrolling fast among hundreds of channels versus trying to pick out letters. Also depends on how smooth the guide scrolls because the Time Warner box I currently have is crap and can't keep up. I've had them for 5 years and the channel alignment is so bad I still don't know what most numbers are. Some channels appear in the guide 3 or 4 times, then have a separate totally different HD number. I guess having a toggle option would be best for those who don't want it.

I don't see an issue with how this looks:

I think the above looks better than:

I still do not understand why anyone would scroll through the guide to look for channels. One scrolls through the guide to find out what is on. Who cares what the channel is? What is important is what the program is. I much prefer the cleanness of the DirecTV guide.

I still do not understand why anyone would scroll through the guide to look for channels. One scrolls through the guide to find out what is on. Who cares what the channel is? What is important is what the program is. I much prefer the cleanness of the DirecTV guide.

A lot of times I may know the channel I want, but not the number. I don't bother memorizing the thousand some odd channel numbers beyond my favs. So, something might be on an obscure channel and I can catch it scrolling the guide. I find the Dish Guide to be be clean AND informative by giving number & logo, more time, better contrast and larger text. The DirecTV guide looks bland with little info. This is going to be a personal preference issue which is why a toggle option would be nice.

At this time, I'm awaiting an OTA solution for the Hopper which could be a deal breaker if they scrub it. Dish seems to have more HD channels that I want at a better price as I study them both. I could care less about sports. I abandoned sports some time ago when the costs got out of control.

So, I'll continue to evaluate and the Guide is merely a consideration while doing so. Another huge concern is actual DVR performance. The Time Warner DVRs have horrible conflict resolution and routinely miss recordings even when not conflict exists. The Time Warner whole home stinks because the DVRs only share the recorded list. So, you always end up with duplicates because someone thinks their show isn't going to record because it is set in another room.